Toothbrush



May 31,1927.

E. L. H. cosBY TOOTHBRUSH Fild sept. .17, 1925 45A d A1. l. N

)Z fte@ I I WKO) Patented May 31, 1927.

UNITED STATES miic LEOPOLD HUeo oosBY, 0F TED'DIive'roN, EGLAND.

I f rroo'riBnusH.

Application filed September i7, 1925, Serial No.

This invention relates to brushes, and more particularly tooth brushes, and the principal object of the same is to provide a brush iii vvhich the stock and bristles, toget her with the means for rsecuring the stock and bristles to the handle, A'are removable so that the Whole can be readily and easily cleaned. v l

According to my invention I preferably make the handle and hollow back 'or fra-ine for holding the stock and bristles from a composition in Which a strengthening means,

which may be in theforin of a Wire or Astrip or a frame, is embedded, and I shape one end of the hollow` back" or frame and one 'end of the stock vvhi'ch carries the bristles in such manner that the stock may be inserted iii the hollow back and be held in the latter by fastening means .engaging the stock. I .provide the handlewith a catch atits free end and ivith a longitudinal bore leading to the holloiv. backy and also With transverse holes or slots leading to the bore to facilitate cleaning of the bore. The. fastening means coinprises a ivii'e or strip Ipositioned in the bore along the length of the handle one end of such i'vire or strip being capable of engaging the stock and the other a catch" at the opposite end of the handle to hold the. stock in the back or frame. Y

Instead of making the handle and back of the brush of a composition 'I may malte the handle and ba'cl'; Wholly of metal, for example of silveiglbiit in any construction the stock and bristles, as ivell asthe fastening means, are easily removable for 'cleansing purposes. *I

My invention will be understood from the following description aided by the annexed drawings in which 1 i Figure 1 is a front vieiv of' a tooth brush constructed according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a rear vieiv of the same.

Figure is a longitudinal section on the line 3 3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-4, Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a front vievv of a 4metallic frame assembly before being embedded in composition.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6, Figure 7.

Figure 7 is a side elevation, partly in seca-l tion, of the frame assembly shown in Figures 5 and 6, and

5697s, and in Great Britain september i7, 1924'.

Figure 8 is a transverse section on the line 8 8, F igureV 6. Ileferringsto Figures 1 to 4t of the drawings, 1 vdesignates `the handle portion of the brush, vvhic-h is formedy of suitable composition, said han'dle having at onefeXt-rem'ity a back provided iwith yan opening lor recess 2l to receive a brush stock 3. Theend 'Wall of the.recess 2 remote from the handle fis preferably rounded, as at t', and the opposite end Wall 'of Said recess is inclined as at 5;

However, it will be understood that the opening'or recess 2 may be formed ivithanv suitable conto'ur 'in accordance with the 'size or shape of the brush desired and the vstocli: to be 'used therein. The stock 3, which carries the bristlesof the brush, is shaped to corre- ,spendv With ,thel opening orrecess 2 but slightly smaller than thel latter so as to be received in said opening or recess. l

'In' the back (if formedof composition) I embed a Wire or metal frame 6 Vand in the IhandlejI form a lo'ngitudinalV bore 7 leading from the opening 2 to a rectangular depression 8 formed in the handle adjacent the opposite end of the latter. The depression 8 its end` opposite to tlie'bore7 is formed `with a catch 12. In th/eibo're y7 is positioned a round rod or Wire 9 having onejend connected to a hat spring steel piece 10 or other spring means VWhich-'is positioned in the rectangular depression, l The spring piece 10 is longer than the depression 8, so that, when seen in Figure 3.

Hles 13 entehd'through the handle and also a second depression 14 is foi-ined in the handle for cleansing purposes.

In action the rod 9 is pulled back by pulling on the curved piece 10 until the projecting end of the rod 9 is clear of the opening 2 When the stock 3 which is slightly shorter than the opening, can be inserted. The spring is then released When the end of the rod 9 Will be projected by the bowed spring piece 10 forward into a hole 15 in the end of the stock 3 and hold the latter firmly in lace by engagement of the rod 9 in the hole 15 of the stock 3 and endwise pressure of the spring piece 10 on the rod 9 to cause the curved end of the stock to engage with the curved end 4t of the opening 2.

To remove the stock 3 from thel back, end of the spring 10 is pullel or sprung out of the catch 12 by the button 11 when the spring 10 and rod 9 can be withdrawn from thev handle throughthe depression 8 andthe stock 3 can be removed for proper cleaning by flushing with water and a pin or rod can be passed through the holes 13 if necessary to clean same.

Figures 5 to 8, inclusive, show a frame assembly which is convenient and economical from a manufacturing standpoint since the parts thereof may bestamped from a suitable metal and then' be coated with, or embedded in, a suitable cdmpos'ition. The brush when constructed with this form of frame embodies the same essential lfeatures as shown in Figures 1 to 4:. In this instance the member 61, which receives the stock, is preferably stamped from a strip of metal and is substantially rectangular. 'Ihe ends 16 of the member 61 are enclosed in a ferrule 17, a tube 18 to receive the rod 9 having one end inserted in the ferrule being also provided. The ends 16 of the member 6L, the ferr-ule 17v and the tube 18 may then be secured by brazingfpressingor other means. The rod or wire 9 is then inserted in the'tube 18, the member 6l being preferably formedat one end with a lip or flange 19, forming a catch t, and the stock 3 being removably and firmly held within the member 6l by engagement of the catch la with one end thereof and the end 15au of the rod 9 with its other end. The stockV 3 is inserted in and removed from the member 61 in the same manner as described in connection with Figs. 1, 2, 3' and 4.

It will be understood that various other modifications in the proportions, dimensions and manner of forming the several components of the improved brushmay be adopted without departing from the spirit of, the invention.

.What do claim .asmy invention and desire to secure Vby Letters Patent is v 1. A tooth brush vcomprising a handle having at one end a recessedba-ck portion and havinga depression in one of it-s faces adjacent its otherend, said handle also having a longitudinal bore communicating with one end of said recess'and with one end of said depression, aurod insertable in said longitudinal bore and having one end projectin-g into the hollow back portion, a fiat spring carried by the opposite end of said rod and adapted *to be inserted flatwise in the depression of the handle and having its free endA engageable with an end of'said tially therethrough and openinng into the lower extremity of the recess of the back portion, the handle also having a depression formed in its lower portion thereof, a rod having a flat curved spring portion at one extremity adapted to be inserted in the bore of the handle with the flat curved spring extremity projecting into the depression, a catch formed in the lower extremity of the depression, and a brush stock adapted to be inserted in the recess of the back portion and removably held in position'A by the other end of said rod.

In a tooth brush, a frame of substantially rectangular shape forming a recess `to receive a br-ush stock, a tubular portion, a ferrule fitted over the upper extremity of the tubular portion and in which the lower extremity of the frame is secured, a rod in-V sertable in the tubular handle portion with lone end projecting into said recess, aspring carr-iedby .the other end of said rod, and a handle and back of composition material in which said frame and'tubular portion are embedded, said handlehaving in one of its faces adjacent its' free end a depression to receive said Hat spring.

In testimony whereof I'have hereunto set my hand. A y Y ERIC LEQPOLD HUGO COSBY, 

